Top women bureaucrats in public spat; Govt warns of action

Bengaluru: With two senior women bureaucrats indulging in a public spat, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Monday expressed displeasure against their conduct, and warned action, citing service rule violation.

The Minister was referring to the exchanges between Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Managing Director D Roopa, an IPS officer, and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, Muzrai Department Commissioner. "We are not sitting quiet, action will be taken against them. They both are behaving in such a bad way that not even normal people speak on the streets. Let them do whatever on their personal issues, but coming before the media and behaving in a way they are doing is not right," Jnanendra said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, people see IAS and IPS officers with high respect, but looking at their behaviour and conduct, they are causing disrespect and humiliation to civil services officers. "We have good officials of high ranking, they are the ones who run the state and the country, but a few such people are bringing a bad name to the whole of the official class, they have to be punished. I have spoken to DG (Director General of Police) and will be speaking to the CS (Chief Secretary); the Chief Minister is also aware of it," he added. Roopa has taken to social media allegding several "wrongdoings" of Sindhuri.

She also made personal remarks, accusing Sindhuri of misconduct and released personal pictures of her alleging that it was shared by her with a few male officers. Terming the allegations as baseless, Sindhuri alleged that Roopa, who holds a responsible position, is making such comments against her out of personal hatred and was behaving as if she had lost her mental balance. The two have accused each other of violating the Civil Services Conduct rules, and that they had brought it to the notice of the appropriate authorities.

Sindhuri has said that she will take legal and other actions with appropriate authorities for Roopa's actions amounting to misconduct and criminal offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Noting that the officers are bound by conduct rules, Jnanendra said, "already they were warned in the past and as they are not stopping, the government will consider taking strict measures.

""They have taken names of certain Ministers and the government, the Chief Minister is aware of all this, and he will take a strict decision", he added. Earlier too, both officials had indulged in a public spat, and had been involved in controversies separately too in their official capacities.

In spite of the warnings of the Karnataka Chief Minister and Home Minister, a senior woman IAS officer and a senior woman IPS officer continued their public spat.

Retaliating to IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri and her husband's comments that she is "mentally ill", IPS officer D. Roopa Moudgil, sharing a screenshot allegedly from Sindhuri's number, asked the IAS officer if she will talk about "her nude pictures".

Sindhuri, the Commissioner, State Hindu Religious and Endowments Department, asked Moudgil to "get well soon". Her remarks came right after husband Sudheer Reddy branding the IPS officer as "mentally ill".

IGP Moudgil, currently the MD, Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation and recipient of the President's Gold Medal, said: "Rohini Sindhuri has told me to get well soon through the media. Will she talk about her deleted nude pictures? This number is hers, right? Can an IAS officer send her nude pictures?" The screen shot shows 10 deleted messages, while the reply says, "So madly, madly beautiful." The development has taken the incident of social media war between two senior civil servants to a new level.

Sindhuri has stated that she had lodged a three-page complaint against Moudgil for making personal allegations with Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma and sought action. In turn, Moudgil, who also lodged a complaint with the Chief Secretary maintained that she is lodging complaints of corruption against Sindhuri.

The IPS officer contended that nothing is personal about her allegations. "I had brought the matter to the notice of the government 25 days ago," she said.Regarding posting of photos she said it is not a personal matter.

Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy has stated that the government will initiate action against the sparring officers. He maintained that they were quiet so far, thinking that the matter was personal. Agencies